Notes / Commercial Description:
Why Rye? This assertively flavorful grain is more often associated with whiskey than with ales. Even in that arena, it has largely been eclipsed by corn and barley, the sources of bourbon and scotch. But when we procured some seasoned barrels from our friends at Templeton Rye, we asked ourselves, “Why not?” Why not brew a rich, tawny rye ale, then mellow it in the warmth of charred oak rye whiskey casks? Two kinds of malted rye provide spicy sweetness, giving way to notes of caramelized wood and the citrusy tang of Perle, Magnum, and Saphir hops before easing into a dry, lingering finish.

Reviews by Brew33:

More User Reviews:

Pours a deep crimson red color that appears a dark tawny mahogany in the glass with golden orange edges and a three finger frothy beige head that very slowly settles into a thick lasting cap/ring. Excellent retention, lingering throughout the pour and coating the glass with large rings and streaks of soapy lacing. Impressive looking beer.

Sweet, slightly spicy aroma with a delicate barrel presence that's well integrated into the complex malt bill of the base beer. Was expecting, and actually prefer, stronger barrel notes but the nose if this beer is still inviting with a nice blend of charred oak, spicy whiskey, toasted coconut, peppery rye, dark fruit and sweet caramel malts. Dry wood with boozy sweetness and spicy rye from the whiskey. Subtle vanilla and coconut followed by vinous sweetness with some fig, plum and raisin. Caramel malt sweetness with toffee, roasted but and dark breads. The nose isn't all that impressive lacking bolder barrel characteristics. Still, it's not offensive in any way, just somewhat bland.

Thankfully, the flavor profile is anything but bland. There's and explosion of dry, spicy rye that dominates the palate, lingering over the barrel notes and sweet malt backbone into a bone dry finish. Nice balance of barrel, rye and malt sweetness of the base but it's almost too much rye. It's a shock to the palate at first, but once the palate adjusts, the other flavors come through. Dry charred oak that's slightly burnt but doesn't have much of a harsh toothpick flavor. Very nice spicy spirit presence which was lacking in the nose. Spicy spirit adding nice rye whiskey flavor without much heat. Some boozy sweetness and warmth in the finish but overall the high ABV is very well masked. In addition to the oak and spirit, there is some silky mallow and vanilla bean from the barrel along with toasted coconut. Underneath the barrel is a complex malt bill with heavy rye component countered by caramel and dark fruit sweetness. Again, the spicy, peppery rye flavor dominates but the other malt flavors come forward as it warns. Caramel sweetness with toffee, hazelnut, fig, date and raisin. Overall, this is another very solid release in the smokestack series. Complex with great oak, whisky, rye and sweeter malt flavors. Definitely a sipper but much easier to drink than anticipated.

Overall: Wow, wow, wow. Thus I'd one stellar beer. Very sad to not see it in the top beers categories, but it will always be a top beer for me. I look forward to the next year of this beer anf many more afterwards.

Poured a hazed amber/burnt orange mix with a large blooming off white head.The charred oak really shows thru in the nose along with caramel,and slight green apple.Full on lush feel in the mouth,borderline chewey.Flavords are big in vanilla tinged oak with a touch of char,the rye impart a peppery-like spiciness and green apple-like tartness in the finish.A bigtime complex brew here,big in the oak and rye tartness,very nice.

Thanks to Mike for this one! Truly a most generous BA. Rye-on-rye is a bloody copper color with a fifty-fifty division of cloudiness and clarity. Kind of surprised to see barely any head form, even with a pretty aggressive, nearly straight-down pour. A thin, thin beige collar slowly assembles itself and disperses to the outer edges of the beer, where it meets the glass.

The aroma is plumped up with a good amount of dry rye and a touch of wet oak; even lighter inclusions of whiskey lie somewhere in the background. There's a river of malty, caramel sweetness flowing through that is kept tame by the spicy rye notes. I'm picking up some dense, almost tart apple skin and plum skin notes. Nice, overall, but there's just a touch of cardboard-y oxidation that seems like has taken place.

There's a lot more of that dry and spicy rye with the first sip than the first sniff, with a big whiskey and grain flavor up front. Smooth caramel and toffee malts with a little bit of sticky sweetness - as I mentioned before, the spicy and dry balances the sticky and sweet. A touch of plum shows up again, sans the apples (which is probably a good thing), to add just a slight twinge of borderline tart fruitiness.

The aftertaste is highly reminiscent of rye (or possibly pumpernickel in a lesser sense) bread. The malts tame themselves and the sweetness is alleviated by this time, and you're left with a bready, dry, and rye-filled flavor that coats your palate. Just a slight touch of oxidation has been confirmed with a bit of wet cardboard, giving the beer a slightly "old" flavor. Unfortunate, since the beer is only about a year old. Medium mouth feel; slick, dry, and heavy with low carbonation.

Despite the premature oxidation that has taken place, the beer was still pretty nice and quite drinkable for what it was. I'd really like to have another go at it, with a fresh bottle, as I'm sure it stands the chance to be even better. I'm not the biggest fan of rye beers, but this one was executed nicely, especially if you're a fan of whiskey and dryness.

Big aromas of toasty oak, whiskey, naturally accompanied by alcohol, sweet vanilla, and brown sugar. Clean, but lacks some of the complexity that could really take it to the next level for me. I'm thinking age could definately help this out.

Some rich toffee sweetness on the front of the tongue, lively carbonation leads to a distinct whiskey taste, ending with a spicy burn that reminds you this is a sipper. The warm whiskey fade goes on and on, in a good way, it just limits quantity. I wouldn't open one of these by myself, whew!

EPIC! I never rate beers because I feel they are a personal choice. This one was on another level! Seriously I've had all of the top 5 or more and this one is the best! Thanks Boulevard for doing such a good job with this beer and please, PLEASE, make more for me to imbibe.